But Catherine's personality kept her in awe.

And after a second, as the two stood together, a deep flush rose on Catherine's face, and an expression of half-frightened apology dawned in Mrs.Thornburgh's.
Catherine drew herself away.

'Will you please give Mr.EIsmere his mackintosh ?' she said, taking it off; 'I shan't want it this little way.' And putting it on Mrs.Thornburgh's arm, she turned away, walking quickly round the bend of the road.
Mrs.Thornburgh watched her open-mouthed, and moved slowly back to the house in a state of complete collapse.
'I always knew'-- she said with a groan-'I always knew it would never go right if it was Catherine! _Why_ was it Catherine ?' And she went in, still hurling at Providence the same vindictive query.
Meanwhile Catherine, hurrying home, the receding flush leaving a sudden pallor behind it, was twisting her hands before her in a kind of agony.
'What have I been doing ?' she said to herself.

'What have I been doing ?' At the gate of Burwood something made her look up.

She saw the girls in their own room--Agnes was standing behind, Rose had evidently rushed forward to see Catherine come in, and now retreated as suddenly when she saw her sister look up.
Catherine understood it all in an instant.